Power apparatus for windows or the like



June 13, 167 D. M. HETTINGER ET AL 3,324,594

POWER APPARATUS FOR WINDOWS OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 17, 1965 2Sheets-$heet 1 102 aim V00 6 INVENTORS. Donald M. HefT/nger BY Robe/'1L. Mari/l7 June 1967 0. M. HETTINGER ET AL POWER APPARATUS FOR WINDOWSOR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 17, 1965 INVENTORS Donald M.Heff/hger' fiobe/"f L. Marf/n TOR/VEYS.

3,324,594 PQWER APPARATUS 1 R WINDOWS QR THE LHKE Donald M. Hettingerand Robert L. Martin, Kansas City,

Mo., assignors to The Weatherproof Products Corporation, Kansas City,Mo.. a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 17, 1965, Ser. N 433,416 6Claims. (til. 49-43) This invention relates to power-operated windowsand, more particularly, to apparatus for reciprocating window sash unitsin a vertical path.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide power apparatusfor reciprocating window sash units, which apparatus includes a rack andpinion assembly coupled with a power source, the rack and pinionassembly being operably connected with a window sash unit whereby, uponactuation of the power source, the window sash may be reciprocated in apredetermined direction.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved drivemechanism for the rack and pinion assembly wherein safety cutoff meansare employed to terminate reciprocating movement of the sash unit whenthe unit encounters resistance whereby to prevent structural damage orbodily injury.

Yet a further object is to provide a window having a power apparatusassociated therewith for reciprocating the same, the rack and pinionassembly of the power apparatus being concealed in such a manner thatthe window has a finished appearance, notwithstanding the fact that thesash unit is operated by a power source coupled thereto through a rackand pinion assembly.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the followingspecification progresses, reference being had 30 to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a window having a sash operablycoupled with rack and pinion structure pursuant to the teachings of. theinstant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the sashand rack and pinion structure illustrating the drive for the structureadjacent to the sash;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the mounting structure for theprime mover which drives the rack and pinion structure;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a sash guide coupledwith the rack and pinion structure;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a slide element to which the rack of therack and pinion structure is attached for sliding movement in the sashguide of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 55 of FIG. 6.

The present invention utilizes a rack and pinion assembly with theremovable, normally vertical reciprocable sash of a window by providinga pair of spaced sash guides on opposed sides of the sash to define thepath of travel thereof. One of the sash guides has a groove whichshiftably receives the rack, the latter being secured to a slide elementcoupled to the last-mentioned sash guide for reciprocation therealong. Apinion in mesh with the rack is secured to a shaft extending laterallyfrom the sash and in turn, interconnected with the drive shaft of aprime mover, such as a reversible electric motor or the like.

Means is provided to deactuate the prime mover when the pinion shaft issubjected to rotational resistance. in this respect, the prime mover isrockably mounted for rotation into and out of coupled relationship tostop 3,324,594 Patented June 13, 1967 means which is coupled with theprime mover to deactuate the same upon being engaged by the prime moveritself.

The other sash guide is yieldably mounted in place so that the sash isremovable from the sash guides for cleaning, painting, or otherpurposes. In addition, counterbalance spring means are included with theother sash guide to facilitate operation of the sash.

A window 10, shown in FIG. 1, is mounted in an operative positionthrough a wall 12 and has a pair of sashes 14 which are mounted in sashguides 16 and 118 for sliding movement with respect thereto. A box 20,having an access panel 22, is mounted in wall 12 adjacent to window 1i)and houses components of a drive assembly for rack and pinion structure24 coupled to the lower sash 14 for reciprocating the latter in a mannerhereinafter described. A 2-way electrical switch 26 on panel 22 permitsoperation of the drive assembly exteriorly of box 20. Alternatively, a2-way switch 28 coupled to the drive assembly in box remotely thereofmay be utilized for raising and lowering sash 14.

Each of the sash guides 16 and 18 has a pair of sashreceiving portions30 and a groove 32 for each portion 30 respectively as shown in FIG. 3.Each groove 32 extends longitudinally throughout the length of thecorresponding sash guide and has a pair of recesses 34 at the sidesthereof which face each other.

Sash guide 16 is associated with one portion 36 of window frame 38,there being a blind stop 40 and a finish stop 42 secured to portion 36in a manner to define a longitudinally extending recess 44 within whichis disposed a spring 46 between guide 16 and the inner face of portion36. Spring 46 biases guide 16 toward guide 18 and permits removal ofsashes 14 from frame 38 for cleaning, painting, or other purposes.

The details of construction of spring 46 and the way in which it permitsremoval and installation of each sash 114 are set forth in U.S. PatentNo. 3,135,014, issued June 2, 1964, and entitled Sash Balance Connector.This patent is incorporated herein by reference for a descrip tion ofthe constructional details of the means permitting the removal of eachsash unit 14 from frame 38.

Each sash 14 has counterbalance spring means 48, as shown in FIG. 2, tofacilitate reciprocation thereof with respect to sash guides 16 and 18.Spring means 43 is disclosed in the foregoing patent and the latter isincorporated herein by reference for a description of the details ofconstruction of means 48. To couple spring mean-s 48 to the adjacentsash guide 16, a gripping member as disclosed in the aforesaid patentmay be employed or an improved gripping member 49 of the type shown inFIG 2 may be utilized. If member 49 is used, an improved catch 51,carried by sash 14 is releasably coupled with member 49 to interconnectmeans 48 and sash 14.

An elongated slide element 50, coupled with sash guide 18, is movablewith respect thereto in the corresponding groove 32. Element 50' issubstantially transversely L- shaped (FIG. 8) and has longitudinallyextending projections 52 which are slidably received withincorresponding recesses 34. Laterally extending flanges 54 engage thefaces 56 on opposed sides of groove 32 toprevent lateral movement ofelement relative to groove 32.

Element 50 is coupled to sash guide 18 from above or below prior tosecuring sash guide 18 to portion 58 of frame 38. Element 54 extendsthroughout a distance substantially equal to the height of the lowersash 14 and has a rack 60 of similar length secured thereto by a numberof longitudinally spaced rivets 62 or other fastening devices. The base64 of rack 60 is disposed directly adjacent to one section 66 of element50, while the teeth 68 of rack 60 project toward the opposite recess 34.Rivets 62 extend through the other section 70 of element 50 andterminate at the side of rack adjacent to the inner face 72 of sashguide 18 defining the corresponding groove 32. Rack 60 is, therefore,rigid to and movable with element 50 relative to sash guide 18.

An extension 74 in the nature of a rigid strip or plate is also securedby means of rivet 62 to section of element 50 and extends beyond theproximal end thereof as illustrated in FIG. 2. Extension 74 is injuxtaposition with a similar extension 76 secured by wood screws 78 tothe jamb 80 of lower sash 14. A knurled thumbscrew 82 threadably mountedin extension 74 interconnects the latter with extension 76 so that theupper end of sash 14 is secured to element 50. A rigid strip 84, havingan angular projection 86, is secured by rivets 62 to the opposite end ofelement 50 and cooperates with a similar strip 88 having an angularprojection which interlock-s with projection 86 in the manner shown inFIG. 2 when strip 88 is secured to the lower extremity of jamb 80 bywood screws 92.

To interconnect element 50 and the lower sash 14, projections 86 and 90are initially moved into interlocked relationship and then thumbscrew 82is threadably secured to extension 74. In this respect, the opening 94in extension 76 which receives the shank of thumbscrew 82, is largerthan the diameter of the shank to assure proper coupling of thumbscrew82 with extension 74.

Sash guide 18 is provided with an aperture96 in the manner shown inFIGS. 2, 3, and 6, and a pinion 98 projects partially through aperture96 and is disposed in mesh with rack 60 for reciprocating the latterwhen pinion 98 rotates in opposite directions.

Pinion 98 is secured to one end of a shaft 100 extending through asleeve 102 and journalled therein by a pair of spaced bearings 104 asillustrated in FIG. 2. To accommodate shaft 100 and sleeve 102, portion58 is provided with an opening 106 therethrough aligned with openings108 and 110 in a pair of studs 112 adjacent the frame 38 and coupledwith boxing 114 and wallboard 116. Shaft 100 is normally horizontallydisposed and has a pulley 118 on the opposite end thereof coupled withan endless flexible V-belt 120 which, in turn, is coupled with a pulley122 secured to the drive shaft 124 of a prime mover 126 spaced laterallyfrom shaft 100. Shafts 100' and 124 are parallel, and pulleys 118 and122 are in alignment with each other as illustrated in FIG. 2. Primemover 126 is normally disposed below shaft 100 so that it mayconveniently be located in box 20 between boxing 114 and wallboard 116as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this respect, box 20 has an opening 128aligned with openings 106, 108 and 110 for receiving shaft 100 thereinand is provided with flanges 134 secured by wood screws 129 or the liketo one of the studs 112, another stud 130, and a pair of verticallyspaced structural members 132 as shown in FIG. 2. Wallboard 116 isfitted over the flanges 134 of box 20 to conceal the same and provide abacking for panel 22 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

Brackets 136 releasably connects .a plate-like support 138 to box 20 bybolts 140 as shown in FIG. 2. A platelike extension 142 is integral withsupport 138 adjacent one longitudinal edge thereof and extends laterallytherefrom as illustrated in FIG. 3. A substantially U-shaped housingmember 144 is secured by screws 146 to one face of extension 142 .andcontains a pair of relays 148, a step-down transformer 150, and aportion of switch 26, such components forming a part of the electricalcircuitry for actuating and deactuating the reversible electric motor152 forming a part of prime mover 126. A manually actuated reset switch154 is secured to the underside of memher 144 and is accessible throughthe open front of box 20 for placing the circuit of motor 152 inoperation once again following a power failure or other malfunction.

A gear reducing device 156 having drive shaft 124 thereon, is operablycoupled to the output shaft of motor 152 for rotating shaft 124 at aspeed corresponding to a safe operating speed of the lower sash 14.Prime mover 126 is mounted on support 138 by means of a first plate 158having vertically disposed slots 160 therein as shown in FIG. 4 forreceiving bolts 162 threadably coupled with support 138. Plate 158 isshiftable relative to support 138 to permit adjustments in the tensionof belt 120. When the desired tension is attained, bolts 162 securedplate 158 to support 138.

A second plate 164 is rockably mounted by means of a bolt 166 on firstplate 158, bolt 166 being substantially coextensive with drive shaft 14as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Coupling devices 168 interconnect plate164 with device 156 so that prime mover 126 rocks with plate 164relative to plate 158 about the axis defined by bolt 166. A slot 170 insupport 138 clears bolt 166 during the ad justment of the tension ofbelt 120.

An L-shaped bracket 172 secured to one of the devices 168, carries aflat spring 174 which is shiftably received within a slot of a bar 176secured to and extending laterally from the underside of housing member144 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Spring "174 biases prime mover 126 to itsequilibrium position when prime mover 126 is rocked about the axisdefined by bolt 166. As shown in FIG. 5, spring 174 is distorted underthe influence of the counterclockwise rotation of plate 164 relative toplate 158.

A bracket 178 is carried by one of the devices 168 and has a segment 180which mounts a pair of electrical limit switches 182 and 184 in themanner shown in FIG. 4. Each of the switches 182 and 184 is providedwith a shiftable plunger 186 which normally bears against a respectivestop 188 secured to plate 158. When prime mover 126 rotates in onedirection, one of the switches 182 and 184 moves toward its stop, whilethe other switch moves away from its stop. Each of the last-mentionedswitches is coupled in the electrical circuit of motor 152 to deactuatethe latter after prime mover 126 has rocked through a predetermined arc.Conversely, when prime mover 126 rocks in the opposite direction, theother switch will move toward its stop and deactuate motor 152 afterprime mover 126 has moved through a preselected arc. In this way,resistance to rotation of shaft 100, i.e., movement of rack 60, issufficient to deactuate motor 152 to prevent strucutral damage to thecomponents of window 10 and to prevent possible bodily injury to aperson operating the same.

In operation, motor 152 is coupled with the various switches, relays 148and transformer 150, so that actuation of switch 26 in one manner willcause the lower sash 14 to be raised, whereas actuation of switch 26 inthe opposite manner is sufficient to cause lowering of the lastmentionedsash 14. Belt 120 will have been properly tensioned by adjusting plate158 with respect to support 138 and limit switches 182 and 184 will bepositioned with respect to their stops 188 so as to deactuate motor 152for rocking movement of prime mover 126 through predetermined arcuatedistances.

Upon actuation of motor 152 shaft 100 will rotate relative to frame 38so that rack 60, element 50 and thereby lower sash 14, will be shiftedrelative to sash guides 16 and 18 in the corresponding direction. Whensash 14 reaches either extremity of its path of travel, it will stop andthereby apply rotational resistance to shaft 100 which, in turn, willcause prime mover 126 to rock about the axis of bolt 166 by virtue ofthe position of the latter relative to drive shaft 124 due to flexiblebelt 120 frictionally engaging pulley 122. Prime mover 126 will continueto rock in the corresponding direction until the corresponding limitswitch, carried on segment 180, is actuated in a manner to deactuatemotor 152. In this way, no structural damage to the components foroperating sash 14 Will be incurred and a portion of the body of anoperator of window 10 will not be subjected to injury if the bodyportion is the cause of the resistance to rotation of shaft 100.

Lower sash 14 may be removed from sash guides 16 and 18 by removingthumbscrew 82 from coupled relationship with extension '74 and elevatingsash 14 until projections 86 and 90 move out of interlockingrelationship with each other. The sash is then shifted away from sashguide 28 to compress spring 46 until jamb 88' clears the correspondingportion of sash unit 18. Sash 14- is then swung in a direction to permitremoval of the opposite jamb from the corresponding portion 30 of sashguide 16. The sash is also easily separated from spring means 48 duringthe process of removal from sash guides 16 and 18.

To install sash 14 in its operative position, the reverse procedure isfollowed wherein sash 14 is initially coupled with sash guide 16 andspring means 48 prior to being swung into coupled relationship with sashguide 18 and interconnected with element 50* by thumbscrew 82 andprojections 86 and 90.

Rack and pinion structure 24 is substantially concealed at all times andfor all operative positions of lower sash 14. Moreover, spring means 4-8may be effectively concealed .in the manner set forth in theabove-mentioned patent. As a result, window 10 Will have a finished,workmanlike appearance notwithstanding the fact that it ispower-operated and has removable sashes.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A window comprising:

a frame;

a pair of spaced sash guides carried by the frame;

a sash mounted on said sash guides for reciprocation relative to theframe;

a rack coupled with the sash for reciprocation therewith;

first means releasably connecting the rack with the sash,

said first means including a pair of interlocking projections, one ofsaid projections being coupled to the rack, the other projection beingcoupled to the sash; second means releasably coupling the rack with thesash,

said second means including a pair of extensions secured to said rackand said sash respectively, and screw means releasably interconnectingsaid extensions;

a pinion rotatably mounted on said frame and coupled with said rack; and

means coupled with said pinion for rotating the same in opposeddirections to reciprocate said rack and thereby said sash relative .tosaid frame.

2. A window as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of said sash guides isprovided with a longitudinally extending recess, and wherein is providedan elongated slide element having a longitudinally extending projectionshiftably disposed within said recess, said rack and the correspondingextension being secured to said element.

3. A window as set forth in claim 2, wherein said extensioncorresponding to said rack is adjacent to one end thereof, said one ofsaid interlocking projections being on said element adjacent to theopposite end thereof, said other interlocking projection being on thesash.

4. A drive unit for reciprocating the movable sash of a window having arack on the sash comprising:

a frame;

a driven shaft journalled on the frame for axial rotation;

a pinion secured to the shaft and adapted to mesh with said rack of saidsash for reciprocating the latter when said driven shaft is rotated inopposed directions;

an actuatable reversible prime mover on the frame in spaced relationshipto said driven shaft;

means mounting said prime mover on said frame for rocking movement abouta horizontally disposed axis, said prime mover being normally disposedin an equilibrium location and being rockable away therefrom;

means normally biasing the prime mover towards said location, said meansincluding a projection carried by the mounting means for the prime moverand having a slot therein and a spring strip secured to the prime moverand received within said slot;

means operably coupling said prime mover with said driven shaft toeffect rotation of the latter upon selective actuation of the primemover, said coupling means being disposed for rocking said prime moverrelative to the frame when said driven shaft is subjected to a forceresisting rotation thereof in either of said directions; and

means responsive to the rocking movement of said prime mover fordeactuating the same.

5. A drive unit as set forth in claim 4, wherein said prime moverincludes a drive shaft parallel to said driven shaft, said couplingmeans including a flexible belt and pulley assembly interconnecting saidshafts.

6. A drive unit as set forth in claim 5, wherein said drive shaft issubstantially coextensive with the axis of rocking movement of saidprime mover.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 759,508 5/1904 Peder. 2,065,43112/1936 Cotter 268-132 2,198,488 4/1940 Smith 268-132 X 2,238,537 4/1941Miller 268-132 2,791,420 5/1957 Provost 268-124 3,135,014 6/1964 Martin20-522 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. HARRISON R. MOSELEY,Examiner. J. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A WINDOW COMPRISING: A FRAME; A PAIR OF SPACED SASH GUIDES CARRIEDTHE FRAME; A SASH MOUNTED ON SAID SASH GUIDES FOR RECIPROCATION RELATIVETO THE FRAME; A RACK COUPLED WITH THE SASH FOR RECIPROCATION THEREWITH;FIRST MEANS RELEASABLY CONNECTING THE RACK WITH THE SASH, SAID FIRSTMEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF INTERLOCKING PROJECTIONS, ONE OF SAIDPROJECTIONS BEING COUPLED TO THE RACK, THE OTHER PROJECTION BEINGCOUPLED TO THE SASH; SECOND MEANS RELEASABLY COUPLING THE RACK WITH THESASH, SAID SECOND MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF EXTENSIONS SECURED TO SAIDRACK AND SAID SASH RESPECTIVELY, AND SCREW MEANS RELEASABLYINTERCONNECTING SAID EXTENSIONS; A PINION ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDFRAME AND COUPLED WITH SAID RACK; AND MEANS COUPLED WITH SAID PINION FORROTATING THE SAME IN OPPOSED DIRECTIONS TO RECIPROCATE SAID RACK ANDTHEREBY SAID SASH RELATIVE TO SAID FRAME.